VICTORIA, January 25, 2010 - The governments of Canada and British Columbia are investing $6 million in joint funding for important building upgrades to the Royal BC Museum.
The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport) and Member of Parliament (Saanich-Gulf Islands), on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and the Honourable Murray Coell, Minister of Labour, and the Honourable Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport, on behalf of the Honourable Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, made the announcement today.
"Our Government realizes the importance of stimulating the economy through investments in a certain number of key sectors, including the arts and culture sector," said Minister Moore. "Today's investment supports the modernization of this facility, which in turn benefits the economic vitality of this region."
"This funding plays an essential role in keeping British Columbia's tourism sector strong," said Minister Coell, who emceed the event. "The Royal BC Museum Museum has a worldwide reputation as one of British Columbia's foremost cultural attractions, bringing more than 700 000 people to the museum and IMAX annually and providing millions in economic benefits with its special feature exhibits."
The Royal BC Museum Museum is receiving $1.8 million in federal funding under the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund and $4.2 million in provincial funding for capital projects. This joint investment will support critical building infrastructure updates to help preserve the museum collections and improve the building. The Exhibits Building was constructed in 1967 as a Centennial Project and now requires significant upgrades to the electrical system for the preservation of its collections and the safety of visitors, as well as to allow for future improvements to the building.
"The Royal BC Museum Museum is an internationally recognized cultural icon of our province and country," said Minister Chong. "This investment will support the ongoing protection of more than seven million artifacts, specimens, and archival records the museum currently holds, which will help ensure that the history of British Columbia is preserved and continues to be enjoyed by visitors from around the world."
"Our Government is proud to support the efforts of local heritage institutions, which play an important role in developing and sustaining the economic future of Canadian communities, as well as facilitating access to the treasures of our collective heritage," said Minister of State Lunn.
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $1,805,467 under the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and arts presentation or exhibition. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing arts, visual arts, media arts, museum collections, and heritage displays.
"This financial support from the Governments of Canada and British Columbia allows us to continue with the ongoing rejuvenation of our aging exhibits buildings," said Pauline Rafferty, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal British Columbia Museum. "Since it was built in 1967, the Royal BC Museum Museum has hosted more than 30 million visitors. But like any 40-year-old structure, this one needs attention. We are grateful to the governments of Canada and British Columbia for helping us continue to serve as an important cultural heritage resource in western Canada."
As the provincial museum and archives, the Royal BC Museum Museum preserves and shares the stories of British Columbia-on-site, off-site and online-through its research, collections, exhibitions and educational programs. Its two-hectare cultural precinct also includes a number of historically significant buildings and First Nations sites.
Contact:
Deirdra McCracken
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and
Official Languages
819-997-7788
deirdra.mccracken@pch.gc.ca
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca
David Greer
Communications Manager
Ministry of Tourism, Culture
and the Arts
250-387-2799
Perry Boldt
A/Regional Manager
Communications
Western Region
Canadian Heritage
604-666-5739
